System for connecting wires of an electrical cable harness to an electrical connector

An assembly system, comprising:

• a base that defines a base plane and is configured to support a connector having one or more cavities;
• a driving means configured to move the base within the base plane;
• a guiding device having first and second moveable gripping portions, wherein the first and second gripping portions cooperate to define one or more channels that extend perpendicularly to the base plane and are configured to receive one or more wire ends for insertion and wherein an inner surface of the first gripping portion is parallel with a corresponding inner surface of the second gripping portion and an outer surface of the first gripping portion is nonparallel with a corresponding outer surface of the second gripping portion, the first and second moveable gripping portion having attachment portions configured for inserting cavity plugs into one or more cavities;
• a robotic arm configured to move the guiding device relative to the base while the one or more channels remain perpendicular to the base plane;
• and
• a controller configured to control the robotic arm and the first and second gripping portions according to a predetermined connecting sequence which includes a location of one or more of the cavities of the connector that is configured to receive a wire and a predetermined plugging sequence which includes a location of one or more of the cavities of the connector that are not included in the connecting sequence and will receive a cavity plug rather than a wire.